Rashi Calculator

Find your Janma Rashi (Moon sign), Lagna Rashi (Ascendant), Nakshatra, and Pada from date, time, and place of birth. Uses sidereal Lahiri ayanamsa.

100% private - the Moon-sign calculation runs entirely in your browser. No birth data sent anywhere.

Enter birth details

Supports 1900 onwards for better calculation reliability.

Birth time helps place the Lagna sign (ascendant) and disambiguates Janma Rashi on Moon transition days.

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Quick facts

Janma RashiMoon’s sidereal zodiac sign at birth
Lagna RashiAscendant (eastern-horizon zodiac sign at birth)
Number of rashis12 (Mesha to Meena)
AyanamsaLahiri (Indian Govt Rashtriya Panchang convention)
Different from Sun signYes - Western zodiac uses Sun + tropical reference
Number of nakshatras27 (each rashi spans ~2.25 nakshatras)
Pada per nakshatra4 (each ~3 deg 20 min)
Required inputDate and place mandatory; time required unless using the unknown-time toggle
Moon position accuracy~0.3 deg vs Swiss Ephemeris (same Kundli engine)
Privacy100% client-side; no birth data leaves browser

What is Rashi?

Rashi (Sanskrit for zodiac sign) is the foundational sign reference in Vedic astrology. Each rashi is a 30-degree slice of the sidereal zodiac, totalling 12 signs - Mesha (Aries) through Meena (Pisces). Three rashi-derived references matter most for everyday Vedic readings:

  • Janma Rashi (Chandra Rashi) - the rashi the Moon occupied at your birth moment. Used for Panchang, muhurta, and Dasha.
  • Lagna Rashi (Ascendant) - the rashi rising on the eastern horizon at your birth moment. Used for chart house assignments and personality.
  • Surya Rashi (Sun sign) - the rashi the Sun occupied at birth. Used less often than the Western Sun sign because Vedic astrology prioritises the Moon.

How is Rashi calculated?

To compute Janma Rashi, the tool finds the Moon’s tropical ecliptic longitude at your birth moment using Meeus VSOP87 lunar theory, then subtracts the Lahiri ayanamsa (~24 degrees in 2026) to get the sidereal longitude. The 30-degree segment of the sidereal zodiac in which that longitude falls is your Janma Rashi.

Lagna Rashi (Ascendant) requires the eastern-horizon calculation - which sign was on the local eastern horizon at birth. This depends on your birthplace latitude and longitude and your exact birth time. Lagna changes roughly every two hours, so birth-time uncertainty of even a few minutes can flip Lagna near a sign boundary.

The 12 rashis of Vedic astrology

#Rashi (Sanskrit)EnglishSymbolRuling planetElement
1MeshaAriesRamMarsFire
2VrishabhaTaurusBullVenusEarth
3MithunaGeminiTwinsMercuryAir
4KarkaCancerCrabMoonWater
5SimhaLeoLionSunFire
6KanyaVirgoMaidenMercuryEarth
7TulaLibraScalesVenusAir
8VrishchikaScorpioScorpionMarsWater
9DhanuSagittariusArcherJupiterFire
10MakaraCapricornCrocodile / Sea-goatSaturnEarth
11KumbhaAquariusWater-bearerSaturnAir
12MeenaPiscesFishJupiterWater

Janma Rashi vs Lagna Rashi vs Western Sun sign

AspectJanma RashiLagna RashiWestern Sun sign
Based onMoon position at birthEastern horizon at birthSun position at birth
Reference frameSidereal (Lahiri)Sidereal (Lahiri)Tropical
Changes every~2.25 days~2 hours~1 month
Number of signs121212
Used forVedic muhurta, Panchang, DashaHouse assignments, personalityWestern horoscope columns
Time-of-birth neededRecommendedMandatoryNo

What is Nakshatra and Pada?

Nakshatra is the lunar mansion - one of 27 segments of the sidereal zodiac, each spanning 13 degrees 20 minutes. The Moon traverses one nakshatra in about 24 hours. In Vedic astrology, nakshatra is used for finer-grained predictions than rashi alone, and especially for muhurta (auspicious timing) and Vimshottari Dasha (planetary periods).

Pada is the quarter (1-4) of a nakshatra, each spanning 3 degrees 20 minutes. Pada is used to assign Navamsa (D9 chart) signs and to determine syllable-based naming conventions in traditional Indian practice. This tool returns both your nakshatra and pada from the same Moon-position calculation.

How to find your Rashi without a tool

The traditional approach uses a Panchang (Hindu almanac) cross-referenced against your birth date and time. Look up the Moon’s nakshatra at your birth moment in the Panchang, then use the rashi-of-nakshatra mapping (each rashi spans ~2.25 nakshatras). For example, Bharani nakshatra falls in Mesha (Aries), Krittika nakshatra straddles the Mesha-Vrishabha boundary, and so on.

The Moon’s exact longitude varies by year, so this only works if you have a Panchang for your specific birth year. Most modern users prefer a calculator like this one for accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Rashi?

Rashi is the Sanskrit term for a zodiac sign in Vedic astrology. Janma Rashi (also called Chandra Rashi) is the sign the Moon occupied at your moment of birth. Lagna Rashi (also called Ascendant) is the sign rising on the eastern horizon at your birth moment. Both are computed using the sidereal Lahiri ayanamsa, the convention adopted by the Indian Government's Rashtriya Panchang.

How do I calculate my Rashi from date of birth?

Provide your date of birth, time of birth, and place of birth. The tool computes the Moon's sidereal longitude at that exact moment using Meeus VSOP87 lunar theory, subtracts Lahiri ayanamsa to get the sidereal position, and reports the corresponding zodiac sign. Janma Rashi changes every ~2.25 days, so birth time matters most on Moon-transition days; Lagna Rashi changes every ~2 hours so birth time is essential for accurate Ascendant.

What is the difference between Janma Rashi and Lagna Rashi?

Janma Rashi is the Moon's sidereal zodiac sign at birth - it represents emotional nature and mind in Vedic tradition. Lagna Rashi is the rising sign at birth - it represents personality and outward expression. Janma Rashi is used for Panchang, muhurta, and Dasha calculations; Lagna Rashi is used for chart house assignments and personality predictions. Both come from the same birth chart.

Is Indian Rashi the same as Western zodiac sign?

No. Indian Rashi uses the sidereal Lahiri ayanamsa with the Moon's position; Western zodiac uses the tropical zodiac with the Sun's position. The two systems differ by approximately 24 degrees as of 2026 (the ayanamsa) - so most people's Western Sun sign and their Indian Janma Rashi are different. If your Western Sun sign is Aries, your Indian Janma Rashi could easily be Pisces or even Aquarius depending on your exact birth date.

What if I don't know my birth time?

Use the 'I don't know my birth time' toggle. The tool will use 12:00 noon local time at your birthplace as the default. Janma Rashi (Moon sign) is usually still correct because the Moon stays in one sign for ~2.25 days; the tool also explicitly checks whether the Moon transitioned to a new sign during your birth date and, if so, shows BOTH possible Rashis with the local transition time. Lagna Rashi cannot be computed without an accurate birth time and is shown as unknown.

What is the difference between Rashi and Nakshatra?

Rashi is a 30-degree zodiac sign (12 total). Nakshatra is a 13 degree 20 minute lunar mansion (27 total). The Moon traverses one Rashi in ~2.25 days and one Nakshatra in ~24 hours. Both are used in Vedic astrology - Rashi for broad personality and Dasha calculations, Nakshatra for finer-grained predictions and Muhurta. This tool returns both.

Can my Rashi change?

No. Your Janma Rashi is fixed by the position of the Moon at your birth - it cannot change over your lifetime. What can change is transiting Saturn or Jupiter through your Janma Rashi (such as Sade Sati when Saturn is in or adjacent to your Moon sign). Your Lagna Rashi is similarly fixed by your birth moment.

What are the names of the 12 rashis in Sanskrit and English?

In sidereal Vedic order: Mesha (Aries), Vrishabha (Taurus), Mithuna (Gemini), Karka (Cancer), Simha (Leo), Kanya (Virgo), Tula (Libra), Vrishchika (Scorpio), Dhanu (Sagittarius), Makara (Capricorn), Kumbha (Aquarius), Meena (Pisces). The English equivalents are the same constellation names used in Western astrology, but the Vedic system uses the sidereal zodiac so the dates differ.

How accurate is the calculated Rashi?

The underlying Moon position is computed via the Meeus VSOP87 lunar theory with Lahiri ayanamsa - typical precision is around 0.3 degrees vs Swiss Ephemeris. The Moon moves ~13 degrees per day, so this position bound translates to roughly 33 minutes of birth-time uncertainty for sign assignment. Far from sign boundaries, the result is unambiguous. Within 0.3 degrees of a sign boundary, the tool surfaces a dual-rashi output with the local transition time so you can decide based on your actual birth time precision.

Which Rashi is good or bad?

None. Rashis are not 'good' or 'bad' in classical Vedic astrology - they are reference frames for chart computation. Specific outcomes depend on planetary positions, aspects, dashas, and transits within the chart. Avoid sources that claim particular Rashis are inherently lucky or unlucky; that framing is not in the classical texts and is a modern reduction.

Want your full birth chart with D1 and D9 charts, planetary positions, Vimshottari Dasha, and Mangal Dosha analysis? Free Kundli Generator computes the complete chart.

Curious about Saturn’s transit through your Janma Rashi? Sade Sati Calculator shows your Shani Sade Sati timeline - Aarambh, Madhya, and Antya phase dates - from the same Moon sign this tool returns.

Planning ritual or muhurta timing? Rahu Kaal Today by city computes today’s Rahu Kaal, Gulika Kaal, and Yamaganda Kaal from local sunrise.

Sources

  • Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam translation, 1984) for the 12-rashi framework, Sanskrit names, ruling planets, and elemental classifications.
  • N.C. Lahiri, Indian Astronomical Ephemeris (Rashtriya Panchang, 1956 onwards) for the sidereal Lahiri ayanamsa.
  • Jean Meeus, Astronomical Algorithms, 2nd ed., 1998. Lunar theory used for Moon position.
  • NASA JPL Horizons as cross-validation reference for Moon position.
Cultural / informational purposes only
Rashi results on this page are for cultural and informational purposes only. They describe a sidereal Vedic astrology reference frame, not predictions of life events, and are not a substitute for professional advice. Last updated: May 2026.